Chapter 5

Even though nobody really had anything, they were all very generous with each other. It’s amazing, really, that people whose next meal was in doubt, would be willing to share anything at all. But there was a generosity and caring that I’ve never seen anywhere else.

I remember sitting on the patio at the hamburger joint one day. Ron and Chris were there (and several other friends). There was a bus stop just outside the patio. The bus stopped, and an old woman got out. Somebody ran up, grabbed her cane, and started running away with it. Ron and Chris jumped over the little wall and ran after him. They eventually came back with the cane.

Later that day, someone offered me a couple of joints. I didn’t smoke pot, but I took them anyway. Ron and Chris smoked, and they were heroes. Now I had something to give them. In this way everyone did what they could to help each other.

I remember another time when I got very sick. I was throwing up and running a fever. Two of my friends bundled me up and got me on a bus to the hospital. They stayed with me in the waiting room, through my appointment, and then escorted me back to the park. Then they watched over me while I slept on and off for the next several days. I’m sure it never occurred to them to desert me when I might need someone, even if it was just a hand to hold.

There were also many groups that did things to help the homeless. There were church groups that each distributed sack lunches once a week. The Salvation Army had a hot dinner once a week. If you knew the schedule, you could get a free meal almost every day. And we would swap with each other for the parts we liked.

One of the church groups put a small can of corned beef hash in each lunch sack. There’s no doubt that it was the healthiest part of the lunch. The rest was a peanut butter and jelly sandwich, an apple, and a cookie. But I just can’t look at that stuff and see it as edible by humans. I tried. So I would give someone else my can in exchange for their apple and sandwich.

The local McDonalds also worked with the homeless. At a certain time of the morning, they would discard any breakfasts they had made but not sold. One of us would go wait by their back door and get them, and bring a whole stack back to share with everyone. Mmmm. Pancakes, eggs and sausage! With syrup! Heaven.

And if anyone earned enough and decided to splurge on a motel room, they’d usually invite their friends to share. Imagine if you will: a room with one full or queen sized bed. Three or four people sleeping in the bed. A few laying on the floor on each side. And a few of us on the floor by the foot. Ten of us in one room wasn’t unusual. Just being someplace warm where no one would disturb you for a few hours was wonderful. The opportunity for a shower was a bonus!

It’s funny sometimes how little you really need to make you happy.